The Ministry of Preaching

Weekly Update – February 29th, 2024

This past Sunday, Dan Holsten had the privilege of preaching during our Sunday morning service.  He preached from Ephesians 2:1-10 giving us the call to live like we were dead. Back in December, Jason Franklin preached on the priority of the Scriptures, in October Nathan Sharon preached from 2 Samuel 11, and last June, Clint Blankenship preached from Matthew 6.  Likely, over the course of this year, you will have an opportunity to hear from some of these men, and others, again.  What this means is that even though it is not a normal occurrence for someone else to fill the pulpit at our church, at the same time it is not a rare occurrence either.   In fact, I would argue that it is good and healthy for others to fill the pulpit from time to time other than myself.  Here is why:

First, God has gifted His church in many different ways.  What that means is that I may not be the only one who is gifted to preach.  Should anyone be allowed in the pulpit?  No.  But there are certain men who desire the opportunity, who God will use to communicate His word to His people.  For me to never allow others to preach because I am the “paid professional” stifles certain men from furthering a gift that God may have given to them.  Again, not just anyone is allowed to fill the pulpit.  It is a sacred honor to preach the word of God.  But for men who have shown themselves to be faithful, capable, and have a desire to preach, the opportunity ought to be given to them. 

Second, allowing others to preach moves the church away from being focused upon a person and instead being centered on the word of God.  As men and women, we have a tendency to be driven by our likes and preferences.  We are driven by styles of music, different activities that we participate in, and even in the preacher that we listen to.  But just as having variety in the music we sing takes our focus away from style and places it upon the message sung, so too, having other men preach from time to time takes the focus off of being comfortable with one preacher and places it upon the word of God.  Plus, it allows us to learn from others aside from just me.

Third, there is a unique burden to the week in and week out preaching of the word of God.  Now it is a joyful burden that I would not trade for anything in the world, but still, it is a heavy load.  It is a heavy load because it is through preaching that the church is led and God speaks to us as a whole.  It is not something to approach lightly.  What that means is that in preparing to preach, I generally think through almost every word I am going to say.  The text that I preach is on my mind, almost constantly, from Tuesday morning until Sunday morning.  There are times when I find myself wrestling with what is written in the Scriptures, praying for guidance, and asking the Lord to reveal himself through a specific text.  There are many hours of concentrated study put in to be adequately prepared for the task of preaching on a given week.  All of that is to say that it is good for others to occasionally feel that burden.  It is good to share that load with a few other men within the church.  It is also good to occasionally take time to rest and pray and think, so that this joyful burden does not become overwhelming in the long haul.  Having other men who desire to shoulder this load from time to time is a huge blessing to me as your pastor. 

It is an honor for me to serve as your pastor.  Every day I count it a blessing to be a part of First Baptist Church.  Being with you all fuels the passion that I have for preaching.  That is truly a grace from God.  But what makes me even more grateful as your pastor is seeing others take the lead in serving the Lord.  Whether it be members serving in VBS, Sunday School, our music ministry, the clothes closet or, as I have just communicated, watching other men fill the pulpit, it is truly a joy to watch the Lord use so many different people for his purposes in building his kingdom through our church. 

Serving Him with You,
Pastor Michael Nelson

Written by Pastor
Michael Nelson

Fighter Verse for the Week

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand. I and the Father are one."
- John 10:27-30

Announcements:

Women’s Bible Study: The seasonal ladies’ Bible study began on Tuesday, February 20th. Sessions will be offered at 9:30am and 6:30pm. More information and a signup sheet is available on the bulletin board in the hall.

Prom Dress Giveaway: If you are interested in volunteering with the prom dress giveaway, please contact Amy Blankenship. More info can be found HERE.

Men’s Bible Study: This men’s study is based on the book, The Exemplary Husband. The study is held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday night of each month at 8:00pm in the library. If you are interested see Clint Blankenship.

Greeting Team: We are looking for volunteers to serve one week a month on this rotation. If you would like more information, connect with Matthew Klika.

Befriend a Student: If you are interested in befriending a student from Longview Community College this semester, connect with Matthew Klika. You can find more information about befriend a student HERE.

Food Pantry: We are in need of pop-top and ready to eat items for our food pantry. These items are needed specifically for the homeless in our community that stop by the church building throughout the week looking for a meal. We are also in need of spaghetti-o’s, ravioli, dry pancake mix, and maple syrup.

Nursery Volunteers Needed: Nursery volunteers are needed each week during the 10:30am service time. Contact Betty for more information on how you can serve.

Equipping Hour

We have three classes held at 9:15am on Sunday mornings. “Firm Foundations” meets in the Sanctuary, a biblical exposition of 1 Peter meets in the Fellowship Hall, and a Ladies’ class studying the New Testament meets in the classroom next to the nursery. You can find more information HERE.

Giving

To Give Online, Go HERE. 

You can also mail your offering to: 1416 Main Street, Grandview, MO. 64030

Home Groups

Home Groups typically meet on the first and third Sunday of each month. Please contact Pastor Michael if you would like to join a Home Group. You can find more information HERE.

Prayer

An updated Prayer Guide can be accessed HERE. 

Prepare for Sunday

Guide for Worship can be found HERE. 

Wednesday Evening Activities

Awana, Youth Group, and Biblical Counseling are on Wednesday evenings. We will share a meal in the Faith Center Gym at 6:00pm before heading to classes at 6:30pm. There will be no evening activities on Wednesday, December 27th.